Current Consensus

[bigbuck24]

Hey guys,not looking for any specifics,but from your expierience this year,are you finding more Fluke in the shallows or in the channels this year (Raritan Bay)

[Skolmann]

All depends on water temperature in my opinion. Cooler and I look shallow, warm I start looking in the channels.

[JusGlase]

What is considered warm vs cool?

[howardrf]

Still early to tell. I think we're a month behind with no spring. Need a few more weeks.

[1captainron]

NOTHING in the channels yet, not even bait......Soon.

[NoLimit]

Shallows
All our keepers are in 14 - 18 ft of water

[bulletbob]

As we know, fish do what they want when they want, for reasons only they themselves know.

last year, the channel was where almost all the keepers were, at least jusding by the boats there.. All the party and charters were there, from as far south as manasquan Inlet.. however, in some years past, the channels seemed devoid of many fluke, at least in the deeper parts.. you had to fish up off the edges, or on flats, or shallower broken or mussel/clam shell bottom.. It all depends on what large supplies of food show up and where...
If its all about killies, grass shrimp and spearing, shallow areas will hold the fish..

last year there was bait everywhere around the big channels,, this year from what I hear, not so much.. You must also remember, we had April weather right into June this year... Might see a lot more fish moving into the channels in the bay soon.. if not, stay closer to the beaches in less than 20 feet..

Always remember this about fluke.. From early May right into October, there are always fish shallow, along the beaches in the bay and ocean.. Might be mostly shorts, with most of the scarcer big ones deeper, but sometimes there are big numbers shallow, say under 20 FOW..
I am no expert but it seem that grass shrimp, killies, spearing, small crabs etc are more suitable toward smaller fluke, while big ones would prefer bigger food such as whole squid, small bunkers,, and they will go where the food is.. If the food isn't in the channel, or along its edges, the masses of fluke won't be there.. If a big food source does move in, things change of course.. As of right now, see where the party and charter guys are fishing, and you'll be in the ballpark.. give them all the room they need and more, and be courteous of course, but by observing the general areas and depths they are fishing in, you will get yourself in the zone.... bob

[Taxman]

NOTHING in the channels yet, not even bait......Soon.

Class act from someone who is mugged daily

[bulletbob]

Class act from someone who is mugged daily

yeah he does,, and thats something I could never understand when it came to fluke...
If there are a half dozen party boats drifting in an area, you know that its likely there are fish there.. Jeez, back off a ways and let them drift with some space around them.
Some guys get right on top of the head boats for some weird reason when drifting as if thats the only place in the bay where the fluke are....

[O'Man]

Hey guys,not looking for any specifics,but from your expierience this year,are you finding more Fluke in the shallows or in the channels this year (Raritan Bay)

They're on the flats now. It's the best time of year for us small boat guys. No need to be near the channels. Don't need to be fishing where there's traffic & wakes. Time to enjoy the light tackle, and quiet. By mid July, it's time to work the channels, and their edges, and follow them out.

[Gerry Zagorski]

Stick to 15 - 25 feet for now....

[WaltNJ]

Got all of our fluke so far on the flats...about 20 feet of water. However, got the nicest fish (few and far between) on flats at the top of the edge of channels.